Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building » space junkhttp://inhabitat.com
Green design & eco innovation for a better worldTue, 31 Mar 2015 20:11:12 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.1You Won’t Believe How Much Space Junk is Orbiting the Earth Right Nowhttp://inhabitat.com/the-wide-open-heavens-arent-so-open-after-all/
http://inhabitat.com/the-wide-open-heavens-arent-so-open-after-all/#commentsThu, 12 Jun 2014 21:31:19 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=659778Whether you saw the movie Gravity or not, you probably already know that space debris can be a big problem. But until you see a visual showing just how ridiculously packed the Earth’s atmosphere is, it is hard to grasp just how much of a problem it really]]>

Whether you saw the movie Gravity or not, you probably already know that space debris can be a big problem. But until you see a visual showing just how ridiculously packed the Earth’s atmosphere is, it is hard to grasp just how much of a problem it really is. To provide you with that visual, the folks over at Orbital Objects have created an interactive globe of space pollution that might just blow your mind – or make you want to invent a giant space vacuum cleaner.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/the-wide-open-heavens-arent-so-open-after-all/feed/0Japan Prepares to Launch Giant Net into Orbit to Sweep up Space Debrishttp://inhabitat.com/japan-prepares-to-launch-giant-net-into-orbit-to-sweep-up-space-debris/
http://inhabitat.com/japan-prepares-to-launch-giant-net-into-orbit-to-sweep-up-space-debris/#commentsThu, 16 Jan 2014 21:54:50 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=605600In late February, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is teaming up with a fishing equipment company to test out an unusual approach to fighting space junk: a satellite equipped with a 300-meter magnetic net that will sweep up the man-made debris]]>

In late February, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is teaming up with a fishing equipment company to test out an unusual approach to fighting space junk: a satellite equipped with a 300-meter magnetic net that will sweep up the man-made debris hovering in low-Earth orbit. The net is only 30 cm wide when unspooled, and it is composed of a highly flexible metal fiber. When the net is launched into space, it will use a magnetic field to attract pieces of orbiting debris.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/japan-prepares-to-launch-giant-net-into-orbit-to-sweep-up-space-debris/feed/1Switzerland to Launch ‘Janitor’ Satellite to Collect 370,000 Pieces of Space Junk Orbiting Earthhttp://inhabitat.com/cleanspace-one-to-clear-the-planets-orbit-of-370000-pieces-of-hazardous-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/cleanspace-one-to-clear-the-planets-orbit-of-370000-pieces-of-hazardous-space-junk/#commentsTue, 24 Sep 2013 21:38:45 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=562673Space junk is an ongoing problem for the world's space administrations as decades worth of satellite launches and space missions have filled the Earth’s orbit with trash such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. In order to combat]]>

Space junk is an ongoing problem for the world’s space administrations as decades worth of satellite launches and space missions have filled the Earth’s atmosphere with trash such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. In order to combat this growing hazard and to avoid potentially devastating collisions, the Swiss Space Center at EPFL has launched CleanSpace One, a project to develop and build the first installment of satellites designed specifically to clean up space debris.

The Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has helped establish the world’s computer networking and technology in the air, land, sea and space—and now they’re turning their intelligent eyes to recycling. Once satellites stop functioning, they are caught in a veritable death orbit, adding to the collection of space junk that has been collecting since the late 1950s. Rather than letting the disused satellites orbit endlessly, DARPA is exploring how robots could be sent into space to recycle the dead equipment.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/darpa-plans-to-send-robots-into-space-to-recycle-dead-satellites/feed/0Space Scientists Develop Harpoon System to Capture Rogue Satellites and Clean up Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/space-scientists-develop-harpoon-system-to-capture-rogue-satellites/
http://inhabitat.com/space-scientists-develop-harpoon-system-to-capture-rogue-satellites/#commentsThu, 04 Oct 2012 19:20:57 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=445034Space junk has rapidly become a major problem for the world's space agencies. Decades of satellite launches and missions have left the Earth’s orbit filled with pieces of junk such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. It has gotten]]>

Space junk has rapidly become a major problem for the world’s space agencies. Decades of satellite launches and missions have left the Earth’s orbit filled with pieces of junk such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. It has gotten so bad that space junk has become such a concern for NASA and the ESA, and they are looking at several ways to deal with it. One proposed idea from Astrium UK is to develop a system to harpoon rogue or redundant satellites and pull them out of the sky.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/space-scientists-develop-harpoon-system-to-capture-rogue-satellites/feed/0Scientist Proposes Blowing Away Space Debris Using Massive Bursts of Airhttp://inhabitat.com/scientist-proposes-blowing-away-space-debris-using-massive-bursts-of-air/
http://inhabitat.com/scientist-proposes-blowing-away-space-debris-using-massive-bursts-of-air/#commentsMon, 09 Apr 2012 15:38:34 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=371943Space debris (the clutter of dead, lost satellites, rocket boosters and other astronautical junk caught up in Earth's orbit) poses an increasing problem as it circles the globe. Proposed solutions have ranged from a DARPA-developed 'space mitt' to a Swiss]]>

Space debris (the clutter of dead, lost satellites, rocket boosters and other astronautical junk caught up in Earth’s orbit) poses an increasing problem as it circles the globe. Proposed solutions have ranged from a DARPA-developed ‘space mitt‘ to a Swiss ‘space janitor,’ but the Space Debris Elimination initiative put forward by Daniel Gregory of Raytheon BBN Technologies proposes a theoretically simpler option. Gregory hopes that space debris could be forced out of orbit, or massively slowed down, if it were to pass through a giant ‘pulse’ of atmospheric gases fired from the Earth’s surface. Once interrupted by atmospheric gases, the debris would enter Earth’s atmosphere and largely burn up.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/scientist-proposes-blowing-away-space-debris-using-massive-bursts-of-air/feed/1Switzerland to Launch Self-Destructing “Janitor” Satellite to Clean Up Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/switzerland-to-launch-self-destructing-janitor-satellite-to-clean-up-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/switzerland-to-launch-self-destructing-janitor-satellite-to-clean-up-space-junk/#commentsThu, 16 Feb 2012 23:28:35 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=354363In the last century earthlings have launched innumerable satellites into the atmosphere - most of which are still floating around messing with operational equipment circling the Earth. Fortunately, Switzerland just announced plans to launch a satellite in]]>

In the last century earthlings have launched innumerable satellites into the atmosphere – most of which are still floating around messing with operational equipment circling the Earth. Fortunately, Switzerland just announced plans to launch a satellite in the next three to five years that will clean up all that space junk. Dubbed CleanSpace One, the $11 million satellite will remove unwanted objects from the atmosphere by grabbing a hold of them and jettisoning itself and the object into the Earth’s atmosphere, where they will both burn up upon re-entry.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/switzerland-to-launch-self-destructing-janitor-satellite-to-clean-up-space-junk/feed/1DARPA’s Phoenix Spacecraft Cannibalizes And Recycles Derelict Satelliteshttp://inhabitat.com/darpas-phoenix-spacecraft-cannibalizes-and-recycles-derelict-satellites/
http://inhabitat.com/darpas-phoenix-spacecraft-cannibalizes-and-recycles-derelict-satellites/#commentsFri, 21 Oct 2011 20:00:45 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=315050Space agencies such as NASA are constantly faced the issue of old satellites decaying in orbit and falling to Earth. Those that don't stay in orbit around the Earth also create potential collision threats to spacecraft. As a result, many methods are being]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/darpas-phoenix-spacecraft-cannibalizes-and-recycles-derelict-satellites/feed/0Italian Scientist Proposes Craft to Clean Up Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/italian-scientist-proposes-craft-to-clean-up-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/italian-scientist-proposes-craft-to-clean-up-space-junk/#commentsTue, 09 Aug 2011 18:18:07 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=286321Space junk is an ever-increasing threat with decades of discarded fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites threatening to collide with spacecrafts. Over the past few years, scientists have proposed several clean-up methods including NASA's]]>

]]>http://inhabitat.com/italian-scientist-proposes-craft-to-clean-up-space-junk/feed/1NASA Working On Laser System To Zap and ‘Displace’ Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/nasa-working-on-laser-system-to-zap-and-displace-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/nasa-working-on-laser-system-to-zap-and-displace-space-junk/#commentsWed, 16 Mar 2011 19:57:30 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=228678The final frontier is rapidly becoming a junkyard. Decades of satellite launches and space missions have left the Earth's orbit filled with pieces of junk such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. It has gotten so bad that space junk]]>

The final frontier is rapidly becoming a junkyard. Decades of satellite launches and space missions have left the Earth’s orbit filled with pieces of junk such as fuel tanks, lost tools and parts of derelict satellites. It has gotten so bad that space junk has become such a concern for NASA, they are now looking at a laser system that would ‘displace’ space junk in order to avoid hazardous collisions.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/nasa-working-on-laser-system-to-zap-and-displace-space-junk/feed/1Japanese Space Agency to Use Fishing Nets to Scoop Up Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/japanese-space-agency-to-use-fishing-nets-to-scoop-up-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/japanese-space-agency-to-use-fishing-nets-to-scoop-up-space-junk/#commentsMon, 07 Feb 2011 18:53:06 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=215724In a fascinating use of time-tested technology to address uniquely modern problems, Japanese space agency JAXA is teaming up with Japanese fishing net maker Nitto Seimo to haul in some of the 100,000-plus objects of space junk orbiting the planet. A JAXA]]>

In a fascinating use of time-tested technology to address uniquely modern problems, Japanese space agency JAXA is teaming up with Japanese fishing net maker Nitto Seimo to haul in some of the 100,000-plus objects of space junk orbiting the planet. A JAXA satellite will deploy and release a kilometers-wide net made by Nitto Seimo of ultra-thin triple layered metal threads. The net will gradually be drawn into Earth’s magnetic field and burned up along with the abandoned satellites, engine parts and other litter it’s collected.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/japanese-space-agency-to-use-fishing-nets-to-scoop-up-space-junk/feed/2High-Flying Turbines Could Tap 870 Terawatts of Wind Powerhttp://inhabitat.com/high-flying-turbines-could-tap-870-terawatts-of-wind-power/
http://inhabitat.com/high-flying-turbines-could-tap-870-terawatts-of-wind-power/#commentsThu, 09 Sep 2010 18:00:55 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=159769You know where there's a lot of wind that could be harvested for energy? The upper layers of the atmosphere, which contain as much as 870 terawatts of power — that's 870 trillion watts! Researchers, startups and even some established players are getting]]>

You know where there’s a lot of wind that could be harvested for energy? The upper layers of the atmosphere, which contain as much as 870 terawatts of power — that’s 870 trillion watts! Researchers, startups and even some established players are getting serious about capturing that energy, and they’ll be gathering for a conference at Stanford at the end of this month.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/high-flying-turbines-could-tap-870-terawatts-of-wind-power/feed/0NASA Set to Launch Solar NanoSail into Spacehttp://inhabitat.com/nasa-set-to-launch-solar-nanosail-into-space/
http://inhabitat.com/nasa-set-to-launch-solar-nanosail-into-space/#commentsThu, 19 Aug 2010 18:41:35 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=152108This year Inhabitat brought you the Japanese space agency's successful deployment and use of a solar sail to propel its spacecraft Ikaros, and now NASA announced plans this week for its own solar sail mission. This fall it will launch the NanoSail-D into orbit]]>

This year Inhabitat brought you the Japanese space agency’s successful deployment and use of a solar sail to propel its spacecraft Ikaros, and now NASA announced plans this week for its own solar sail mission. This fall it will launch the NanoSail-D into orbit 400 miles up with a Minotaur IV rocket. Once deployed, it will orbit for 17 weeks, proving the technology and allowing astronomers to snap lots of photos.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/nasa-set-to-launch-solar-nanosail-into-space/feed/0Gigantic Orbiting Balloons Could Solve Space Junk Problemhttp://inhabitat.com/gigantic-orbiting-balloons-could-solve-space-junk-problem/
http://inhabitat.com/gigantic-orbiting-balloons-could-solve-space-junk-problem/#commentsWed, 04 Aug 2010 18:30:22 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=146043Earth is like the Pig-Pen of the solar system: more than 100,000 objects bigger than a centimeter wide hover around our planet, accounting for 4 million pounds of junk that befoul our atmosphere and threaten the expensive satellites we actually want in orbit.]]>

Earth is like the Pig-Pen of the solar system: more than 100,000 objects bigger than a centimeter wide hover around our planet, accounting for 4 million pounds of junk that befoul our atmosphere and threaten the expensive satellites we actually want in orbit. What if we could just burn up the junk like a meteor hitting the atmosphere? Scientist Dr. Kristen Gates says we can — by sending gigantic space balloons into the atmosphere.

]]>http://inhabitat.com/gigantic-orbiting-balloons-could-solve-space-junk-problem/feed/2Satellite Service Stations Could Minimize Space Junkhttp://inhabitat.com/satellite-service-stations-could-minimize-space-junk/
http://inhabitat.com/satellite-service-stations-could-minimize-space-junk/#commentsTue, 20 Jul 2010 18:06:53 +0000http://inhabitat.com/?p=139886Image by the European Space Agency
We've done a bang-up job of polluting both Earth and outer space in the past few decades. Space junk, at least, could be reduced significantly if satellites didn't die out so quickly. Enter MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates]]>Image by the European Space Agency

We’ve done a bang-up job of polluting both Earth and outer space in the past few decades. Space junk, at least, could be reduced significantly if satellites didn’t die out so quickly. Enter MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), a Canadian company that wants to build a space-bound satellite fueling and service station.